Are you a sinner?

So one of the biggest issues people have Christianity is the concept that humans are sinners. So ATS, are you a sinner or are you sinless? If you are a sinner, what does that mean? If you are sinless, what does that mean?

If you are a sinner, is it necessary to make up for past sins? If it is necessary, how do you make up for past sins? If it isn't necessary, do you make up for past sins?

When people commit atrocious sins, such as murder, and are arrested should the judge put forth judgment?

So ATS, I look forward to hearing your responses.

What I consider a "sin" and what you consider a "sin", on a Venn Diagram, would probably have some overlap, but not much. So, with that in mind...

I do sin. I think everyone does. We're not perfect beings. We make mistakes. We have faults. I don't think there is any way to make up for sins, except to sincerely apologize to those I've sinned against, whether it be someone else or myself. And to learn from it.

And if someone breaks the law (whether it's considered a "sin" or not) yes, the judge should do his job...

a reply to: ServantOfTheLamb

We are all born into sin.The only way to pay for all of our sins is through
the blood of Yeshua/Jesus.By no other name can you be saved.

a reply to: mamabeth

Or, alternatively, not.

a reply to: ServantOfTheLamb

"God made me a sinner, following protocol" -Mac Miller (song called Black Bush)

a reply to: Benevolent Heretic

What I consider a "sin" and what you consider a "sin", on a Venn Diagram, would probably have some overlap, but not much. So, with that in mind...

I do sin. I think everyone does. We're not perfect beings. We make mistakes. We have faults. I don't think there is any way to make up for sins, except to sincerely apologize to those I've sinned against, whether it be someone else or myself

I still don't really know what you think sin is. I can tell you think its making some kind of mistake and that all humans make mistakes but I need a little more to go on in order to have a conversation with you about it.

a reply to: mamabeth

The only way to pay for all of our sins is through the blood of Yeshua/Jesus

Left over blood rituals from antiquated religious systems where a priest/mediator/third party comes between you and god!

We are born sinless; vicarious blood atonements are so...."last century"

a reply to: ServantOfTheLamb

You got me, I'm guilty of envy and Sloth. What else is a sin nowadays?

Have you burnt a CD? you're a sinner. Do you drink? you're a sinner. Did you have a wet dream once when you were thirteen? you're a sinner.

The excessive push for purity is unhealthy IMO, sure a teenage daughter kissed a boy on the lips but should that be a cause for concern? It's puppy love! there is no guarantee that it's going to lead to unwanted teenage pregnancies.

As far as I'm concerned there are no sins, only morality and the repercussions and regrets that follow.

I am, yes.

I always remember this fact. I have a plank of wood in my own eye, so who am I to point out a speck of sawdust in someone else's eye?

I sin, even though I strive to live a life without it.

I am so thankful for Jesus.

ETA- I realized I don't really answer your questions in the OP.

What is sin? Some sin is obvious (murder, stealing, etc) but most is much more subtle (failure of stewardship, gossip, laziness, etc). But all sin is a disobedience to God.

The way I live my faith is with as much love and compassion as possible. So I don't get hung up on whether my fellow human beings are sinners (they all are, like me) or rank order sin from worst to least. Sin is sin.

Yes, judges on earth should judge and punish in accordance to man's law.

I might have missed a question ... Sorry, I'm a bit scattered this morning!

a reply to: TheConstruKctionofLight

Left over blood rituals from antiquated religious systems where a priest/mediator/third party comes between you and god!

We are born sinless; vicarious blood atonements are so...."last century"

So what is a sinner? Obviously you are not one, so I'd love to hear what a sinner is.

a reply to: Thecakeisalie

You got me, I'm guilty of envy and Sloth. What else is a sin nowadays?

Have you burnt a CD? you're a sinner. Do you drink? you're a sinner. Did you have a wet dream once when you were thirteen? you're a sinner.

The excessive push for purity is unhealthy IMO, sure a teenage daughter kissed a boy on the lips but should that be a cause for concern? It's puppy love! there is no guarantee that it's going to lead to unwanted teenage pregnancies.

As far as I'm concerned there are no sins, only morality and the repercussions and regrets that follow.

I never said I wasn't a sinner. You say there are no sins, but only morality. What is a sin first of all? What are you saying doesn't exist? The I'd have to ask what is morality, and what is it derived from?

originally posted by: ServantOfTheLamb
a reply to: Benevolent Heretic
I still don't really know what you think sin is.

Oh. OK.

To me, sinning is doing something intentionally that is out of integrity with what I know is right. Some examples are lying, cheating, acting without honor, lack of compassion, judging people, etc... I apply these "rules" to myself, only. It's not for me to judge whether or not other people sin, or what they consider sin to mean.

a reply to: ServantOfTheLamb

I fail too see how anyone can question what a sinner is, a sinner is someone who sins, there is a book full of the stuff.

I am a sinner for many reasons, one I like to laugh at is 'being baptised before knowing Jesus' .

originally posted by: ServantOfTheLamb
So one of the biggest issues people have Christianity is the concept that humans are sinners. So ATS, are you a sinner or are you sinless? If you are a sinner, what does that mean? If you are sinless, what does that mean?

If you are a sinner, is it necessary to make up for past sins? If it is necessary, how do you make up for past sins? If it isn't necessary, do you make up for past sins?

When people commit atrocious sins, such as murder, and are arrested should the judge put forth judgment?

So ATS, I look forward to hearing your responses.

Interesting theological quandary and thanks for a good OP on what seemed to be a simple question.

1)Am I a sinner or sinless?

Sin is both a noun and a verb. The Noun means: "an immoral act considered to be a transgression against divine law" and "an act regarded as a serious or regrettable fault, offense, or omission." The verb is the action of committing the noun. The word sin itself comes from "Old English synn (noun), syngian (verb); probably related to Latin sons, sont- ‘guilty.’" The word itself was used more frequently in the 1800's than today. Google Search

In order to 'transgress' a 'divine law' one must accept that 'divine law'. With that idea, it why Christians can say that Native Americans before the Colombian Exchange did not sin because they did not know of God and his divine law. This is also how the church will contend with the UFOs if they ever prove to be real. I do accept a divine law and attempt to live by that law as a positive moral code. As far as the other definition goes, I fear everyone has an act regarded as a serious or regrettable fault, offense, or omission in their life at some point in time, so we are all sinners.

2) If you are a sinner, is it necessary to make up for past sins? If it is necessary, how do you make up for past sins? If it isn't necessary, do you make up for past sins?

Religions are quite clear that God or Gods are very displeased when humans sin, and all religions have methods/rituals that allow human believers to seek forgiveness of their transgressions. If you are exceptionally religious then you must accept that you should seek forgiveness of your sins. Yet, like Benevolent Heretic said, an individual's idea of sin can be radically different from person to person, so people can feel they have sinned when no transgression has occurred and still seek forgiveness, and the opposite is true that some people will never see any action they commit as sinful and never seek redemption. Again, it is up to the person to see sin and seek forgiveness.

3) When people commit atrocious sins, such as murder, and are arrested should the judge put forth judgment?

Murder can be seen as immoral without using religion. If one agrees to live by a code of laws set forth by a nation state, then if one transgression against those laws, regardless if their religious beliefs see it as sinful, then they are breaking the established law of the land and are subject to judgment and punishment sponsored by the state. This is how it works in the United States, and many western nations. So yes, judges should put forth the state's judgment because that is their job.

a reply to: Learningman

I fail too see how anyone can question what a sinner is, a sinner is someone who sins, there is a book full of the stuff.

I suppose to answer that question one would first have to describe what the word "sin" means to them.

I am a sinner for many reasons, one I like to laugh at is 'being baptised before knowing Jesus'

I don't think you can be baptized without knowing Jesus so that doesn't really make any sense. I assume we have separate views on what baptism is.

originally posted by: Thecakeisalie
As far as I'm concerned there are no sins, only morality and the repercussions and regrets that follow.

I understand this. Acting out of integrity with my morality is what I call "sinning", though I don't often use that word because of the religious connotations, and only used it here in relation to the OP. Envy and sloth are not sins to me. I want to be a millionaire and not have to do housework! That doesn't make me a sinner.

My good deeds out way the bad. No one is keeping track of them but me and I don't do them for any god but for my fellow man. Every act of kindness,generosity,remorse and empathy I do for us man kind. To better this place for me and my own, taking direct action in my own life and the lives of others is much more for satisfying than serving some god.

If that makes me a sinner in the eyes of some then so be it they will meet their own god some day, and as I fade to the inky blackness I'll know I've left my mark on this mortal plane.


To a few I suppose I'd be a sinner, to myself and the company I keep sinless.







a reply to: ServantOfTheLamb

a reply to: ServantOfTheLamb

Well, I was just a touch over one year old. I assure you I did not know of Jesus, let alone believe in Him with all of my heart.

Acts 8:36-37

Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, “See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?”

37 Then Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.”

And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”

a reply to: ServantOfTheLamb
In my threads on sin in the Old Testament, I defined sin as "being out of alignment with God's will".
That would seem to cover everybody, to some extent.
I decided that the Old Testament, at least, had no full answer to the problem.

Sin. The very definition of sin is: an immoral act considered to be a transgression against divine law.

Definition of moral: concerned with the principles of right and wrong behavior and the goodness or badness of human character.

Or

holding or manifesting high principles for proper conduct.

Definition of divine law: a law that is believed to come directly from God.

Definition of god in a general sense: a superhuman being or spirit worshiped as having power over nature or human fortunes.

If I don't believe in a god have I sinned?

Definition of birth: the emergence of a baby or other young from the body of its mother; the start of life as a physically separate being.

Only believers believe in original sin. If you choose not to believe then you have not committed a sin. Not to say that I am trying to evade the consequences of my actions, but I am saying that divine law is nothing more than a moral belief system. But a flawed system like any other. Flawed because man has been trying to conform the belief behind the divine law to accommodate their chosen lifestyle. All in an effort to be accepted.

Because a belief system can create an environment for outcasts to have a "second chance," people constantly question it's real purpose.

So to me religion is nothing more than a way to say "I'm sorry" in a world of unforgiving selfish idiots. Which pretty much describes the Christian god most of all.

Intelligence is one of the main principles of my life, but perspective changes everything.